Structure and operation of color boxes of printing apparatus



Jan. 4, 1966 J. R JOHNSON 3,227,078

STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES OF PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 23, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 A'gNEy Jan. 4, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON 3,227,078

STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES 0F PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Jimas 4 5/0 fa/5mm Jan. 4, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON 3,227,078

STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES OF PRINTING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 23, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNE' Jan. 4, 1966 JQR. JOHNSON 3,

STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES 0F PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 23, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEETOR. J/I/Mfij ee/.0 uo/maralv ATTORNE W LP m kw llllJ Jan. 4, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON 3,227,

STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES OF PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR. 24 445.! /%/0 707mm ATTORNEY Jan. 4, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON 3,

STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES OF PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 23, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 26a t 140. fig 3 n I m INVENTOR. $3415: 6570 fifl/vm/v J. R. JOHNSON Jan. 4, 1966 STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES OF PRINTING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Nov. 23, 1962 Jan. 4, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON 3,227,078

STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES OF PRINTING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Nov. 23, 1962 72 ATP RNEY United States Patent P 3,227,078 STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF COLOR BOXES OF PRINTING APPARATUS James Reid Johnson, Stonington, Conn., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to The Johnson Fast-Print Machine Corporation, Brooklandville, Baltimore County, Md.,

a corporation of Maryland Filed Nov. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 239,546 Claims. (Cl. 101-178) This invention relates to apparatus by which a design is printed on a moving length of material by a plurality, usually several, print rolls, and especially to the color box and color transfer brush, and the means for supplying color to and emptying unused color from the color box and cleaning the color box, the brush and the color supply and discharge conduits. It is an improvement upon apparatus disclosed in US. Patent 2,821,913, issued February 4, 1958.

In the printing of a length of cloth or the like each print roll has associated with it a trough called a colorbox which is open on top and from which the desired color is supplied. The color is transferred from the trough to the print roll by a brush mounted so that its periphery dips into the color during part of each revolotion and contacts the surface of the print roll during another part of each revolution.

With apparatus of the prior art, previous to Patent 2,821,913, cleaning of color boxes at the end of each day, or when changing the printing color, was very time-consuming and inefficient. The individual color boxes had to be detached from the printing apparatus and carried to a sink and washed out by hand. In printin textiles, for example, it is often necessary to change the printing color several times a day, as for running different designs. A large part of each day was unproductive due to the time required for washing color boxes, and the work was manual thus taking up workmens time as well as keeping the printing apparatus inactive.

Patent 2,821,913 taught the concept of washing the color boxes without removing them, and disclosedmeans for upsetting the color boxes and washing them by nonmanual means and without removing them from the machine.

This invention provides means which are an improvement and simplification of the means disclosed in Patent 2,821,913, and provides novel means coacting with the color boxes, for emptying the color boxes and facilitating the washing of the color boxes and the transfer brush, the disposal of the wash water, and the cleaningout of the color supply and discharge conduits.

An object of this invention is to provide a color box of improved structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and efiicient means for moving a color box and its brush toward and away from its associated print roll and for overturning it, and afterward, for righting the color box and returning it and its brush to operative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination of color boxes and receptacle means which coact to prevent splashing during the dumping of the color boxes, the washing of the color boxes and their brushes, and the disposal of the Wash water or other wash medium.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the above mentioned kind which is simple and dependable.

A further object of the invention is to provide control means, for activating and controlling the movements of the color boxes and brushes, and for adjusting their positions relative to their print rolls respectively, in a first 3,227,078 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 plane toward and away from the print roll and in a second plane normal to said first plane.

The invention will best be understood if the following description is read in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of printing apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation looking at the inside of the nip and the slide thereon which is at the viewers left in FIG. 1, and taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a detail view showing the means for adjusting the position of a color box and brush in a plane normal to the brush shaft and the supporting nip;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 9, showing the shoe and cam track for holding a color box from tipping, and of the means for overturning the color box;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing conduits interconnecting a color box, a supply of color, a receptacle and a source of air under pressure, and a combination of manually controlled and solenoid controlled valves for operating the system;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the color box and receptacle showing the color box in various positions while being overturned; and FIG. 11a is an enlarged detail view of link 66a shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 showing the color box completely overturned and forming a closure with the receptacle.

In the particular embodiment of the invention described herein color boxes 10 are shown each suspended on the shaft ends 12a and 12b of a rotary color transfer brush 12. The ends 12a and 12b are respectively supported in the members 14a and 14b which are mounted on the screw rods 16a and 161), which are rotatable in support means slidably related to support means on, and between which, a related print roll 30 is supported. When the screws are turned the members 14a and 141) are moved in unison away from, or toward the print roll 30 or toward or away from a receptacle R, depending upon the direction of rotation of screw rods 16a and 161;.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the print rolls 30 are mounted on splined mandrels 32 the ends of which are supported for rotation on bearings which, when the apparatus is assembled, are contained within the bearing housings 36a and 36b provided on the respective slides comprising each pair of slides 38a and 38b, which are mounted for sliding movement, as by cylinders 37a and 3712, on the pairs of nips illa and 40b, which project from the flats 42 defined on the peripheries of spaced support members 44a and 44b, between which a backing cylinder 46 is rotatably mounted on trunnions 48a and 48b.

As is more fully disclosed in copending applications S.N. 239,678, and SN. 243,175, now abandoned, each print roll 30 together with its supporting slides 138a and 38b, color box It and brush 12, and a doctor blade 31, not shown except as indicated by numeral 51 in FIGURE 1 beyond the left hand end of the print roll, color box and brush, comprise a sub-assembly, movable together toward and away from the backing cylinder 46 and the level of the sub-assembly is adjustable in a plane at right angles to the supporting nip. Each doctor blade is also adjustable toward and away from its print roll, on means carried by and projecting from the opposed sides of a pair of slides, in the plane of, or in a plane parallel to, the supporting nip, and also in a plane normal to the supporting nip, and each color box and brush combination is also adjustable toward and away from the associated print roll, on means carried by said slides, in the plane of, or in a plane parallel to, the supporting nip, and also in a plane normal to the supporting nip.

As is further described in copending application S.N. 239,678, the slides 38a and 38b are movable on their supporting nips, as by hydraulic means which may be individual for each pair of slides, toward and away from the backing cylinder, to move the print roll sub-assemblies simultaneously or selectively and bring the print rolls into contact with a length of material to be printed, which is led around the backing cylinder, and between the print rolls and the backing cylinder.

The screw rods 16a and 16b for each color box and brush, on which the color box and brush are moved between their print roll 34? and receptacle R, are supported in frame or support means 100a and (FIG. 5) which in turn are supported by, and slidable in the plane of the supporting nips, in support members 3% and 3% which embrace, and are slidable on, in a plane normal to said nips, the T-shaped members T-i and T-Z projecting toward one another from the opposed sides of slides 38:: and 38b.

The screw rods 16a and 16b have at their outer ends the bevel gears 26a and 2612 respectively which are engaged by the bevel gears 22a and 22b respectively on the ends of shaft 20 which is supported in angle bracket 21 (FIGS. 1 and 5). When shaft 20 is rotated the color box and brush combination supported on said screw rods are moved back and forth in sliding relation to support members 39a and 39b, in accordance with the direction in which the screw rods 16a and 16b are rotated.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the means provided herein for rotating shaft 26 comprises hydraulic means includ ing the motor 13, on the shaft of which is a worm 1? which engages a worm wheel 21 on shaft 20.

The support members 39a and 39b and ltltia and ltltlb together with screw rods 16a and 16b, the color box and brush, and the receptacle R and its pivot rod, are adjustable in planes normal to the brush shaft and receptacle pivot rod on the pairs of screw rods 104a, 104a and 10411, 1tl4b which are mounted in brackets ltloa, ltitia and N612, 106i; projecting from slides 33a and 38b respectively, and extend through, and threadedly engage, the support members 39a and 3%. Consequently, as screws 104a, 104a and 10412, 1041) are turned, the respective ends of the color box brush and receptacle move up or down in a plane normal to the brush shaft and receptacle pivot rod, in accordance with the direction in which these screws are retated. The screws comprising each pair of spaced opposed pairs of screws 104a or 16417 are rotated in unison. As best seen in FIG. 7, bevel gears 103a, 103a and ltit ib, 10812 are provided on the lower ends of the screw rods 104a, 104a and 104b, 10417 and engaged by bevel gears llltla, 110a and 11619, 11011, provided on the control rods 112a and 11%, each of which at one end has the worm gear 114 meshing with the worm 116 on the shaft 118 on which is also mounted the hand wheel 120. It will be understood that there is a control rod 112a for the pair of screws 104a, 104a and a separate control rod 1121) for the pair of screw rods 194b, w th so that either end of a color box and brush assembly may be adjusted in position relative to the other end, in a plane normal to the axes of the brush shaft and the receptacle pivot rod.

Each color box It) is dish-shaped and from its ends project two-part bearings 52 adapted to encircle and be fastened around the ends 12a and 12b respectively of the associated brush shaft (FIG. 6). Each color box is thus free to swing around its associated brush through 180, from an operative printing position below, and partly enclosing the brush, to a position above, and partly enclosing, the brush. Pinions 54 are fixed on the respective ends of the color box bearings, each above, and aligned with a rack 56, carried by supports 100a and 10012. As a color box is moved away from its print roll and at first toward, and then over, its receptacle R, the pinions 54 engage the rack 56 and start the color box to overturn by swinging around its brush shaft. Rack 56 is long enough to cause the color box to be completely overturned when it is fully superimposed upon its receptacle R.

While moving between its print roll 36 and its receptacle R each color box is held against tilting by a shoe 57 pivotally mounted on the brush shaft ends 12a and 12b (FIG. 9) which travels on a cam surface 57a the outer end of which terminates just beyond the point where the pinions 54 engage the rack 56 and start the overturning action. While it is overturning (FIG. 11) the leading end 10a of the color box passes over the curved lip portion 58 of the receptacle R which is tilted toward it, and swings down and into the open upper end of receptacle R, and then upwardly under, and into contact with, the curved inwardly projecting upper edge or lip portion 58 of the receptacle. Each receptacle R is pivotally supported on pivot shafts Gila and db received in bearings 62a and 62b provided at the outer ends of links 66a and 655 respectively, the upper ends of which are pivoted on pivots 64a and 64b on the opposed inner sides of the pair of slides 38a and 331) by which the related color box and brush are supported. The pivot shafts 6tla and 6% are disposed off center of the receptacle so that, when not engaged by its color box, the receptacle will hang on the pivot shaft in an inclined position, with its top inclined inwardly toward the color box.

As the color box is overturning it is also moving outward over the receptacle, and this movement, together with the double pivot mounting provided by the bearings 62a and 62b and 64a and 64b, enables the leading end of the color box to clear the lip 58 of the receptacle. After the end 10a of the color box strikes the receptacle R it becomes lodged under the lip 58 of the receptacle, and, as the overturning movement of the color box continues, it swings the receptacle R on its pivot mountings 60a and 6611, bringing the receptacle into a substantially vertical position. When the receptacle reaches substantially vertical position the color box will have been swung around the brush shaft 12a substantially 180 and will be superimposed over the receptacle in an upside down position, with its top edge resting on the upper edge of the receptacle and with its end ltla engaged under the lip 58 of the receptacle, and with its other end 1011 abutting against portion 70 of the upper edge 71 of the receptacle. Preferably the upper edge 71 of the receptacle is made of material suitable for coacting with the edge of the color box and providing a seal so that color and wash water discharged into the receptacle will be confined and disposed of through the flexible outlet conduit 72 attached to the bottom of the receptacle, and not splashed onto the floor.

Extending longitudinally of each receptacle R is a header 78 through which water or other cleaning fluid is supplied to a series of nozzles 80 spaced at intervals along the header and inclined so that they will direct streams of water or other cleaning fluid against the periphery of brush 12. Since the brush is enclosed within the closure formed when the color box is superimposed, in upside down position, on the receptacle R, the water from the nozzles strikes the brush, and also the inside surface of the color box, and falls into the receptacle and is drained away through the discharge conduit 72 leading from the receptacle, without wetting the floor on which the apparatus is located. In this way the floor is kept dry and clean providing desirable working conditions.

It will be understood that although the hips project radially at different angles from the supports 44a and 44/), the color boxes are all upright, with their tops level and parallel with one another while in operative position, and

the receptacles are all positioned in the same relation to their color boxes respectively, so that regardless of the angle of the hips 40a and 46b and the slides 38a and 38b supported thereon, all the color boxes move through the same length of path in moving from operative printing position in superimposed position over their receptacles R respectively and back.

Each color box has a pipe 124 extending through its wall and adapted to receive the discharge end of a flexible conduit 140 by which color and cleaning fluid can be supplied into the color box. As shown in FIG. 10, color may be supplied from a closed color container 130, through tube 131, conduit 132, coupling 134, conduit 136, coupling 138 and conduit 140 to the color box, when valves 142 and 144 are in open position, and valve 146, which is in conduit 148 leading from coupling 138 to the receptacle R, and valve 170 in main water line 168 are in closed position. The color within the container 130 may be maintained under pressure supplied, for example, from a shop air line through conduits 150 and 152, when the solenoid operated valves 154 and 156 are open.

A sonic vibration member 168 which may be the single sensor liquid level control made and sold by Delavan Company of West Des Moines, Iowa, and identified by the registered trademark Sonac, is disposed within each color box at a predetermined level, and is connected through switch 162 in an electrical circuit which also includes the solenoid valve 164 which controls the flow from the color receptacle 130 through the feed pipe 131, which extends to the valve 164 through the closed top of the receptacle from a point near the bottom of the receptacle. Level control member 168 is of known kind and adapted to call for color by vibrating and maintaining valve 164 open until sufficient color has been supplied into the color box to submerge it when it ceases to vibrate and causes the closing of the valve 164 which cuts ofl the flow of color.

When it is desired to wash the color box and the connecting conduits, the coupling 166 between feed pipe 131 and conduit 132 is disconnected, allowing conduit 132 to assume the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 10. Wash water or other liquid may be introduced through conduit 168 and valve 170 to the coupling 134 and through conduit 126 to the receptacle R, either together or separately, by properly setting valves 144 and 146 and, of course, at the same time closing valve 142 in conduits 132.

As explained herein wash water supplied into the color box will fall into the receptacle R and be drained through the drain conduit '72. Water supplied through conduit 148 into the header 78, extending longitudinally of the receptacle, will be dis harged through nozzles 80 directed at the periphery of the color brush and will serve both to wash the brush and to give it a spinning motion. When the supply of washing liquid is cut olf the brush will continue to spin long enough to become substantially dry.

It will be understood that by opening valve 142 while washing fluid is being supplied through conduit 168, the

conduit 132 and the attached coupling 164 and feed pipe 131 may also be washed out.

After the color box, and the conduits which supply color to it, have been washed, it is desirable to dry them to prevent rusting and this may be accomplished by air under pressure supplied through air line 171 through valve 172 into the coupling 134 from whence it can be directed by the proper adjustment of valves through conduit 132 and also through conduit 136, coupling 138 and conduits 140 and 148.

A sonic member 174, similar to 160, is provided in chamber 130 to call for additional color when the level of the color falls too low and uncovers it.

As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, means are provided for driving a brush in reverse direction, as is sometimes desired during a printing operation, when the brush is in contact with the surface of its associated print roll. On the end of the brush shaft 12a a worm wheel 176 is mounted, in position to be engaged by the worm 178 on the shaft of a motor 180 pivotally mounted on bracket 182 which in turn is supported on support means 184 on frame member a. When desired, the motor can be swung on its pivot mounting to bring Worm 178 into engagement with worm wheel 176.

There has thus been provided an apparatus in which the objects mentioned above are accomplished in a thoroughly practical manner.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for use as part of apparatus for printing a running length of material, an open top washerreceptacle having washing fluid inlet means therein and connected with a drain and disposed adjacent the main body of the printing apparatus, an open top trough-shaped 'color box and transfer brush combination and means for supporting the combination in the main body of the printing apparatus in operative relation to a print roll, the color box and washer-receptacle each having means coacting, when the color box is inverted over the washerreceptacle, to interengage to form an enclosure around the brush, the fluid inlet means in the receptacle being adapted to direct Washing fluid over the inner surface of the color box and against the brush within the enclosure.

2. In cloth printing apparatus in combination, an open top receptacle and an open top color box, said color box and receptacle being shaped so as to coact to form a closure when the color box is inverted and superimposed over the receptacle, the receptacle having fluid inlet means connected to a drain and communicating with header means within the receptacle, the header means having at intervals outlets adapted to direct fluid from the header over the inner surface of the color box within the closure.

3. A printing machine comprising a print roll, an open top color box, a brush extending into the color box and movable with it, and receptacle means, the upper marginal portions of the color box and receptacle being complementary and adapted to meet around their peripheries when the color box is inverted and placed on the receptacle, thus forming a closure containing therein the brush and the inner surfaces of the color box and receptacle, the receptacle means having a washing fluid inlet connected with a drain, and header means within the receptacle comprising a series of outlet ports adapted to direct jets of washing fluid against the brush and streams of fluid over the interior surface of the color box within the closure 4. A printing machine comprising a print roll, an open 'the receptacle to overturn the color box and superimpose it in upside down position upon the receptacle, the receptacle and the color box being characterized by means coacting to form a closure enclosing the brush.

5. A printing machine comprising a print roll and a backing roll, an open top color box and brush combination, and an open top receptacle having a washing fluid inlet means therein connected with a drain, support means for said receptacle and said color box and brush combina tion, means for moving the color box and brush between the print roll and the receptacle, means operative as the color box and brush move toward the receptacle to overturn the color box and superimpose it in upside down position upon the receptacle, the receptacle and the color box being characterized by means coacting to form a closure enclosing the brush, and means Within the closure to wash the inner surface of the color box and the brush while they are within the closure.

6. A printing machine comprising a print roll, a backing roll, a pair of slides on which the print roll is supported for movement toward and away from the backing roll, and support means for the slides, an'open top color box and brush combination, and means for supporting it between said slides, an open top receptacle having washing fluid means therein and connected with a drain, and means for supporting it between said slides, means for moving the color box and brush combination longitudinally of said slides between said print roll and said receptacle, means operative as the color box and brush move toward the receptacle to overturn the color box, means for interengaging the receptacle and color box to form a closure having therein the inner surface of the color box and the brush.

7. Printing apparatus comprising backing cylinder means, means for rotatably supporting the backing cylinder means, a plurality of pairs of nips disposed radially with respect to the backing cylinder means, means for supporting each pair of nips spaced apart and aligned in a common plane extending radially with respect to the backing cylinder, pairs of slide members supported on said pairs of nips respectively, means for moving said slides longitudinally of said nips, print rolls supported between said pairs of slide members respectively, color box and brush combinations and support means for said combinations projecting from the pairs of slide members respectively, receptacle means associated with the color boxes respectively and having upper rims which are complementary to the upper rims of the color boxes respectively, and means for pivotally mounting the receptacle means between said pairs of slide members respectively, means for moving each color box and brush combination between its related print roll and receptacle means, means for rotating each color box into upside down position, each receptacle having an inwardly extending rim portion under and against which the color box abuts as it is overturned thereby swinging the receptacle to upright position as the color box is fully superimposed over it, respectively, and means for raising and lowering each color box and brush combination relative to its related print roll and its related receptacle means.

3. A printing machine comprising a print roll and a backing roll, support means for the backing roll, a pair of nips projecting radially from the backing roll support means respectively, a pair of slides carried by the respective nips comprising the pair of nip-s, means for supporting a print roll between said slides, means for pivotally supporting an open top receptacle between the slides comprising said pair of slides, said receptacle having washing fluid inlet means therein and connected with a drain, an open top color box and brush combination, means carried by the slides respectively along which the color box and brush are movable between the print roll and the receptacle, means operative as the color box and brush move toward the receptacle to overturn the color box and superimpose it in upside down position upon the receptacle, and coactive means carried between the color box and receptacle acting to engage as the color box is inverted and thereby form a closure enclosing the brush.

9. A printing machine comprising a print roll and a backing roll, support means between which the backing roll is mounted, a pair of nips projecting radially from the backing roll support means respectively, a pair of slides carried by the respective nips comprising the pair of nips, means for supporting a print roll between said slides, an open top color box and brush combination, an open top receptacle having washing fluid inlet means therein and connected with a drain, means for pivotally supporting a receptacle between the outer ends of the slides comprising said pair of slides so that the receptacle is normally inclined toward the color box and brush means carried by the slides respectively along which the color box and brush are movable between the print roll and the receptacle, means operative as the color box and brush move toward the receptacle to overturn the color box, the color box and receptacle being so constructed and disposed that as the color box is inverted it engages the 5% receptacle and swings it into upright position at which time the inverted color box is superimposed upon, and interengaged with, the receptacle and c acts with .the r 6 tacle to form a closure enclosing the brush.

10. A printing machine comprising a print roll and a backing roll, support means between which the backing roll is mounted, a pair of nips projecting radially from the backing roll support means respectively, a pair of slides carried by the respective nips comprising the pair of nips, means for supporting a print roll between said slides, means for pivotally supporting a receptacle between said slides, said receptacle having an open top and having fluid inlet means therein connected with a drain, a color box and brush combination, the brush being mounted for rotation within the color box and the color box having an open top, means carried by the slides respectively along which the color box and brush are movable between the print roll and the receptacle, means operative as the color box and brush move toward the receptacle to overturn the color box and superimpose it in upside down position upon the receptacle thus forming a closure around the brush, the receptacle having along one side an inwardly extending rim portion and the color box having along one side a rim portion adapted, as it is overturned, to move under said inwardly extending rim portion of the receptacle and to swing the receptacle into upright position, the meeting rims of the receptacle and color box comprising sealing means providing a liquid tight seal at the interface between the receptacle and the overturned color box.

11. A printing machine comprising a print roll, an open top color box and brush combination, means for mounting the color box for rotating around the brush, an open top receptacle having washing fluid inlet means therein and connected with a drain, means for moving the color box and brush between the print roll and the receptacle, pinions fixed to the respective ends of the color box, cam surfaces disposed in parallel relation adjacent opposite ends of the color box, shoes pivotally mounted at either end of a color box and disposed to travel on said surfaces respectively, and racks disposed beyond the outer ends of said cam surfaces respectively and parallel with said cam surfaces, in position to be engaged by the pinions respectively when the color box and brush combination has been moved outwardly, toward the receptacle, a sufi'lcient distance to carry the shoes beyond the outer ends of said surfaces and cause the color box to be overturned above the receptacle, the color box and receptacle being provided with upper rims adapted to be engaged when the color box is fully overturned and provide a liquid seal between the receptacle and the overturned color box.

12. Printing apparatus comprising backing cylinder means, pair-s of slide members, and support means therefor radially disposed with respect to the backing cylinder, means for moving said slides longitudinally of said support means, print rolls supported between said pairs of slide members respectively, color box and brush combinations supported between the pairs of slide members respectively, and receptacle means supported between the pairs of slide members respectively on the other side of the color box and brush combinations from the print rolls respectively, means for moving each color box and brush combination between its related print roll and its related receptacle means and means for overturning each col-or box and superimposing it in upside down position over its related receptacle, the means for mounting the receptacle means including links pivotally mounted to the slide members respectively on pivots disposed above the transverse midline of the links, pivot shafts extending from the respective ends of the receptacle means, and bearings provided in said links below their transverse midline and adapted to receive said pivot shafts respectively.

13. A printing machine comprising a print roll, an open top color box and brush combination and an open top receptacle, support means for said combination and said receptacle, means for moving the color box and brush between the print roll and the receptacle, means for controlling the relative positions of the color box and receptacle to align them vertically, with the color box superimposed over the receptacle, said color box and receptacle each having means coactive to form a closure having therein the brush and the inner surface of the color box, a source of supply of color, and a conduit system for supplying color into a color box, said system including conduit means disposed Within the color box and moveable with the color box, flexible conduit means, and means for coupling it with the conduit means Within the color box, a closed container of color, means for controlling the pressure in the container, valve means controlling the supply of color from the container, conduit means interconnecting said valve means and said flexible conduit means, means for controlling said valve means including means disposed Within the color box and serving to maintain the level of color within the color box at a predetermined level.

14. A printing machine comprising, a print roll, color box and brush combination, and an open top receptacle, support means for said combination and receptacle, means for moving the color box and brush between the print roll and the receptacle, means for controlling the relative positions of the color box and receptacle to align them vertically, with the color box superimposed over the receptacle, said color box and receptacle each having means coactive to form a closure having therein the brush and the inner surface of the color box, a source of supply of color, a source of Washing fluid, means for supplying color from the color supply source into the color box including, a first conduit system, and means for shutting off the supply of color when the color has reached a pre-determined height within the color box, header means Within the receptacle for receiving washing fluid and delivering it over the inner surface of the color box and against the brush, and a second conduit system for supplying Washing fluid to the first conduit system and to the header for Washing out said first conduit system, the color box and the brush.

15. A printing machine comprising, a print roll, color box and brush combination, and an open top receptacle,

support means for said combination and receptacle, means for moving the color box and brush between the print roll and the receptacle, means for controlling the relative positions of the color box and receptacle to align them vertically, With the color box superimposed over the receptacle, said color box and receptacle each having means coactive to form a closure having therein the brush and the inner surface of the color box, a source of supply of color, a source of Washing fluid, means for supplying color from the color supply source into the color box including, a first conduit system, and means for shutting off the supply of color when the color has reached a pre-determined height within the color box, header means Within the receptacle for receiving Washing fluid and delivering it over the inner surface of the color box and against the brush, and a second conduit system for supplying washing fluid to the first conduit system and to the header for Washing out said first conduit system, the color box and the brush, a source of supply of air under pressure, and a third conduit system including control means for supplying air under pressure into the conduits comprising said first and second systems to dry them.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,690,888 11/1928 Dawe 101-210 2,365,644 12/1944 Matje 137-209 2,519,229 8/1950 Crafts 101-350 2,583,982 1/1952 Zwosta et a1. 15-302 2,821,913 2/1958 Johnson 101-178 2,831,488 4/1958 Anderson. 2,910,999 11/1959 Kimberly 73-290 X 2,938,368 5/1960 Bixel 134-138 X 3,075,534 1/1963 Habostad 68-213 X 3,087,190 4/1963 Werner 68-213 X FOREIGN PATENTS 218,482 7/ 1924 Great Britain.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,227,078 January 4, 1966 James Reid Johnson It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5, line 6, for "in" read to Signed and sealed this 25th day of October 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Offioer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR USE AS PART OF APPARATUS FOR PRINTING A RUNNING LENGTH OF MATERIAL, AN OPEN TOP WASHERRECEPTACLE HAVING WASHING FLUID INLET MEANS THEREIN AND CONNECTED WITH A DRAIN AND DISPOSED ADJACENT THE MAIN BODY OF THE PRINTING APPARATUS, AN OPEN TOP TROUGH-SHAPED COLOR BOX AND TRANFER BRUSH COMBINATION AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE COMBINATION IN THE MAIN BODY OF THE PRINTING APPARATUS IN OPERATIVE RALATION TO A PRINT ROLL, THE COLOR BOX AND WASHER-RECEPTACLE EACH HAVING MEANS COACTING, WHEN THE COLOR BOX IS INVERTED OVER THE WASHERRECEPTACLE, TO INTERENGAGE TO FORM AN ENCLOSURE AROUND THE BRUSH, THE FLUID INLET MEANS IN THE RECEPTACLE BEING ADAPTED TO DIRECT WASHING FLUID OVER THE INNER SURFACE OF THE COLOUR BOX AND AGAINST THE BRUSH WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE. 